News Media Botches Coverage of Trump-Implicating Court Filings

In a sentencing memorandum released on Friday, federal prosecutors accused President Trump of committing two felonies when he directed his former lawyer Michael Cohen to silence two women who possessed damaging information that could have influenced the 2016 presidential election.

The document states that “Cohen acted with the intent to influence the 2016 presidential election,” and that “he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1,” who is identified as the owner of a real estate company who “[became] President of the United States.”

The 38-page memorandum, which suggests that Cohen be sentenced to anywhere between 51 and 63 months imprisonment as punishment for his “extensive, deliberate and serious criminal conduct,” marks the first time that Trump’s alleged campaign finance violations have been reaffirmed by federal prosecutors.

Even conservative columnist and Fox News contributor Andrew C. McCarthy opined that “the president is very likely to be indicted on a charge of violating federal campaign finance laws.” McCarthy, a former Assistant United States Attorney, argued that prosecutors’ decision earlier this year to grant immunity to two media executives involved in the illegal payments signalled that Cohen was not the ceiling of their prosecution.

The Associated Press also failed to fact-check Trump and after significant backlash to their irresponsible reporting, deleted their tweet. Later, AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton told Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple that “It is AP policy even in short headlines and tweets to be accurate and balanced and provide context when needed.”

(Courtesy of Washington Post)

AP also explained the deleted tweet on Twitter.

.@AP deleted a tweet that lacked context on court filings from prosecutors in New York and special counsel Robert Mueller's office.

“If this isn’t true (it’s not), a news organization should not be repeating it uncritically,” said James Poniewozik, chief television critic at the New York Times. In his criticism of NBC News’ coverage, Poniewozik added that even if Trump’s claim was true, “[retyping] the whole tweet verbatim” did not add much value.

Avi is a sophomore majoring in political science at The George Washington University. He has interned at the DNC and is interested in media, politics, law and foreign affairs. Follow him on Twitter @avibajpai_